Aida started to protest, but the flash of redin his eyes stopped her. She’d learned arguing with him over hersafety was as pointless as pet rocks. And just because she wasbehind him didn’t mean she couldn’t fight if it becamenecessary.
But she didn’t think this vamp was here tofight. He wasn’t a Savage, and the place was crowded; no normalvamp would willingly draw attention to themselves by fighting othervamps in a human establishment.
Aida edged behind Julian until she bumpedinto the chair he vacated. The vamp studied them before stridingacross the floor toward the bar. Julian placed his hand on the barand moved to pin her in behind him. Aida glared at his back, butshe didn’t dare take her eyes off the vamp for too long.
The vampire stopped a foot away from them,and his eyes ran over the three of them. “Can I help you?” Julianasked.
“Do you work here?” the man inquired.
“No, but I do,” Kyle said.
“I’d like a crown and ginger.”
Kyle hesitated, but he couldn’t throw the manout of here when he hadn’t done anything wrong. It could create ascene if he tried, and women were already gravitating toward thevamp. Aida had to give him credit; he hadn’t walked out of herewhen he realized there were four other vampires in the bar, whichmeant he was either crazy or had balls of steel.
One of the women Aida considered a residentcougar rested her hand on the man’s arm. She smiled sweetly as shefluttered her lashes. “You’re new here.”
The man barely glanced at her. “I am.”
Kyle returned with his drink, and the man setsome money on the bar. Without another word, he turned and walkedcloser to the stage. When he slipped into the shadows between thebooths and near one of the bar-top tables, the couple at the tableclosest to him glanced nervously in his direction.
When the couple vacated the table, the vampemerged from the shadows to sit at the table where he set his drinkdown. Cassidy glanced at the vamp before her eyes shot to herbrothers. She didn’t miss a beat before focusing her attention backon the microphone as she belted out her tune.
Julian kept Aida pinned behind him while hewatched the vamp staring at his sister with far too much interestfor his liking. Behind him, Aida relaxed enough to climb onto thechair he’d vacated. Kyle returned to work, but his attentionremained mostly focused on the vamp.
Julian didn’t like the vampire being here.He’d planned to take Aida home early, but there was no way he wouldleave his siblings while that man was in the bar. His fingersdrummed against the surface of the bar while Cassidy startedanother song. A waitress approached the man, but he shook his headand turned to stare at Cassidy again.
Julian’s teeth grated together, his fingersdrumming faster. When Aida rested her hand on his back, some of histension eased, but he wanted to get Aida and Cassidyawayfrom this intruder. He wasn’t a Savage, but that didn’t mean hedidn’t kill his kind.
When Cassidy finished her song and descendedfrom the stage. Julian rose, and from the corner of his eye, he sawKyle flip open the trap door at the end of the bar and walk out ofit while Cassidy strode through the crowd.
What is she doing? She didn’t have togo past the vamp’s table; it was the quickest route and the one sheusually took, but she could avoid his table, or she could havewaited for one of them to meet her. Instead, she strode forward asif she didn’t have a care in the world.She’s far tootrusting!
“Stay here,” Julian said to Aida and startedtoward the tables as Kyle made his way around the other side of thebar.
Cassidy stayed as far away from the vamp asshe could, but as she was passing him, he rested a hand on her arm.Cassidy froze, Julian growled, and Kyle stormed forward. They bothstalked toward their sister as the man pulled something from hispocket and handed it to her.
Cassidy took it and stared at it. Then, sheshook her head and broke away from the vamp. Julian and Kylereached her side before she took two steps away from the vamp.
“What were you thinking?” Julian demanded ashe clasped her elbow.
Cassidy rolled her eyes at him. “I can takecare of myself, and it’s not like he’s going to do anything withall these people around.”
Julian’s jaw clenched, and Kyle’s red facesaid he was trying not to explode. “You can’t know that for sure,”Kyle hissed.
Aida met them at the corner of the bar. “Areyou okay?” she asked when Cassidy gave her a pleading look.
“I’m fine,” Cassidy said and shook offJulian’s hand.
The look she gave him could freeze fire.Craning her head, she twisted to look at the vamp who sipped hisdrink before leaning over to the table next to him. The three girlsthere beamed at him as he unfolded whatever he’d shown to Cassidyand handed it to them.
“What is he showing them?” Juliandemanded.
“It’s a picture of a missing woman. He’strying to find her,” Cassidy said.
“Did you recognize the woman?”
“No.”
